Axial-movement type springless valve

ABSTRACT

A valve construction for an aerosol dispenser comprising a valve housing having a chamber and an unyielding transverse wall which defines the bottom of the chamber. An apertured valve seat constitutes the top side of the chamber, there being a valve part having a hollow shank portion extending through the aperture of the valve seat. The valve part comprises an annular valve shoulder engaging the valve seat to close the aperture thereof, and a plurality of sloped, depending, and yieldable integral fingers engageable with and slidable on the bottom transverse wall of the valve housing when the valve part is shifted axially downward with respect thereto. The fingers normally bias the valve part to a raised sealing position wherein the shoulder thereof engages the valve seat and closes off the opening thereof. Depressing movement of the valve part causes flexing of the fingers and unseats the shoulder from the valve seat. The valve part has a side passage communicating with the hollow shank portion to receive liquid under pressure from the valve housing when the part is depressed. Upon removal of the depressing force, the spring fingers bias the valve part to the raised sealing position once again.

United States Patent [191 Steiman et :11.

[ 1 Jan. 28, 1975 1 1 AXIAL-MOVEMENT TYPE SPRINGLESS VALVE [73] Assignee: VCA Corporation, Greenwich,

Conn.

22 Filed: June 29,1973

21 Appl. No.: 375,017

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,074,601 l/1963 Kuffer ZZZ/404.24 3,158,179 11/1964 Lehmann 251/353 X 3,187,962 6/1965 Meshberg 222/4022 3,209,960 10/1965 Green 222/404.24 3,272,442 9/1966 Allenbach ct a1... 222/402.2 X 3,416,770 12/1968 Green l 251/354 X 3,547,147 12/1970 Shay 251/354 X 3,618,833 11/1971 Webster 251/342 X 3,627,179 12/1971 Scheindel 251/354 X FORElGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 243,442 4/1960 Australia 222/491 Primary ExaminerCharles J. Myhre Assistant Examiner-ha S. Lazarus Attorney, Agent, or Firm-H. Gibner Lehmann; K. Gibner Lehmann [57] ABSTRACT A valve construction for an aerosol dispenser comprising a valve housing having a chamber and an unyielding transverse wall which defines the bottom of the chamber. An apertured valve seat constitutes the top side of the chamber, there being a valve part having a hollow shank portion extending through the aperture of the valve seat. The valve part comprises an annular valve shoulder engaging the valve seat to close the aperture thereof, and a plurality of sloped, depending, and yieldable integral fingers engageable with and slidable on the bottom transverse wall of the valve housing when the valve part is shifted axially downward with respect thereto. The fingers normally bias the valve part to a raised sealing position wherein the shoulder thereof engages the valve seat and closes off the opening thereof. Depressing movement of the valve part causes flexing of the fingers and unseats the shoulder from the valve seat. The valve part has a side passage communicating with the hollow shank portion to receive liquid under pressure from the valve housing when the part is depressed. Upon removal of the depressing force, the spring fingers bias the valve part to the raised sealing position once again.

4 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures PATENTED JAN? 31975 sum 1 or 2 9 iii HHANA- v .15.... I

AXIAL-MOVEMENT TYPE SPRINGLESS VALVE BACKGROUND This invention relates generally to aerosol valves, and more particularly to valves of the type wherein a hollow valve stem carrying a depress button is axially movable or depressible with respect to a valve housing to control the discharge of aerosol substance from the dispenser.

In the past, most valves of this type have usually employed metal return springs to effect the closing off of the valve when discharge was to be terminated. Other valve constructions employed specially molded plastic parts including a valve stem which was biased to a normal, closed or sealing position by the action of the resilient valve seat which latter also functioned as the seal. Such a valve is illustrated in US. Pat. No. 3,575,323. These prior constructions had a number of disadvantages. When springs were employed, they had to be made from corrosion-resistant material, were relatively expensive to fabricate and the tolerances during manufacture were rather critical. Such valves with springs also had a multiplicity of parts, which resulted in increased component and assembly costs, and restricted field of use.

SUMMARY The above drawbacks and disadvantages of prior axial movement type aerosol valves are obviated by the present invention, which has for an object the provision of an improved aerosol type valve which is especially simple in its construction and reliable in operation while at the same time being self-closing without requiring the use of conventional return springs. A related object is the provision of a valve construction as above set forth, which employs a minimum number of parts that can be readily molded in large quantities, in simple plastic molds. These objects are accomplished by a unique valve construction employing a valve housing having a chamber, a transverse wall defining one end of the chamber, an apertured valve seat defining the other end of the chamber, and a valve part having a hollow shank portion extending through the aperture of the seat. The valve part has an annular shoulder adapted to engage the apertured seat so as to close off the opening thereof, and has a plurality of sloped, yieldable, depending integral fingers engageable with and slidable on the transverse wall of the housing. When the valve part is depressed, communication between the chamber and the hollow shank is established through a side passage in the valve stem part. The spring fingers, in yielding, enable the valve shoulder to become unseated from the valve seat, whereby liquid under pressure in the chamber can flow into the hollow shank portion for subsequent discharge.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the drawings illustrating several embodiments of the invention:

FIG. 1 is a fragmentary axial sectional view of the upper portion of an aerosol dispenser of the pressurized can type, having incorporated therein the improved axial-movement type aerosol valve of the present invention, shown in the closed position.

FIG. 2 is a view like that of FIG. 1 but showing the valve part depressed and in the process of discharging the aerosol substance.

FIG. 3 is an axial sectional view of the valve stem part of the valve construction.

FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of the valve part of Fig. 3.

FIG. 5 is an axial sectional view of the valve housing part of Figs. 1 and 2.

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the valve housing of Fig. 5.

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary axial sectional view of the upper portion of an aerosol dispenser of the pressurized can type, having incorporated in it a modified axialmovement type aerosol valve constituting another embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 8 is a section taken on line 88 of Fig. 7, showing longitudinal guide ribs in the bore of the valve housing of the valve construction of Fig. 7.

Considering first FIGS. 1 and 2, the dispenser and improved valve construction shown therein comprise a conventional pressurized can 20 provided at its upper end with a metal mounting cup 22 of usual type, including a raised central cup portion 24 adapted to carry the discharge valve assemblage and depress button or spray head.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a novel and improved axial-movement type valve assemblage which is mounted in the cup portion 24, said assemblage having an absolute minimum number of parts of especially simple configuration whereby the component and assembly costs are expecially low while at the same time there is had a desirable ease and reliability of operation. The valve construction mounts a 1 spray head or depress button 26 which may be of any well known type, said button being carried by the hollow shank portion 28 of a valve stem or valve part 30 shortly to be described.v

As shown in the figures, the valve construction comprises essentially two simple molded plastic parts, the valve part 30 and a valve housing part 32 together with a resilient rubber washer-like valve seat 34. The valve housing 32 is molded of a suitable plastic substance which has appreciable rigidity such as Polypropylene of known formulation.

The housing 32 has a cup-like body portion providing a chamber 36 for receiving liquid from the container 20, said body including a transverse bottom wall 38 which defines one end (the bottom) of the chamber. The valve seat 34, being resilient and constituted of rubber, rubber-like or plastic material, is apertured to receive the hollow shank portion 28 of the valve stem 30. The valve seat 34 constitutes the opposite or upper side of the chamber 36, being clamped against the annular rim portion 40 of the valve housing by the top wall 42 of the cup portion 24.

The valve housing 32 has an annular outer ledge or shoulder 44 against which side wall portions of the mounting cup are crimped as indicated at 46, thereby to retain the valve housing in its operative position with the rim portion 40 tightly sealed against the valve seat 34.

The valve part or stem 30 includes an annular valve shoulder 48 disposed in the liquid-receiving chamber 36 of the housing 32, said shoulder being engageable with the resilient valve seat 34 to close the aperture thereof. The valve stem or part 30 also has a transverse or side passage 50 disposed adjacent the valve shoulder 48 and communicating with the hollow or bore 52 of the shank 28. The portion 24 of the mounting cup 22 is apertured to provide appreciable clearance for and to admit the shank 28 of the valve part 30. The valve housing 32 has an inlet opening 33 which communicates with a depending hollow boss 60 depending from the transverse wall 38, to which there is affixed a dip tube 62 extending to the bottom of the container 20 as will be understood.

In accordance withthe present invention, the valve part 30 comprises a plurality of sloped, yieldable depending fingers 54 which are integral with the hollow shank portion 28. FIG. 4 illustrates two pairs of diametrically opposed fingers on the valve part 30. As illustrated particularly in FIGS. 1 and 2, the fingers normally bias the valve shoulder 48 into engagement with the valve seat 34 to close off and seal the aperture 35 therein, the closed-off position being illustrated in FIG. 1. The valve part 30 and fingers 54 are constituted of a resilient plastic material having sufficient spring characteristics to enable such biasing to occur. The chamber 36 comprises an annular wall 37 of substantially cylindrical configuration, the wall closely confining the fingers 54. Typically a clearance space of roughly 0.0l-0.0l5 exists between each finger and the adjacent portion of the annular wall 37. As shown clearly in FIG. 3, the fingers, in accordance with the invention, have rounded bottoms 56 which engage the transverse wall 38 of the valve housing.

The operation of the improved valve construction can now be understood. It can be seen in FIG. 1 that liquid from the container normally occupies the valve housing chamber 36 but is prevented from passing into the hollow shank portion 28 of the valve part 30 by the valve shoulder 48 sealing against the resilient valve seat 34. Referring to FIG. 2, when the depress button 26 is actuated, the valve part 30 is shifted axially downward with respect to the housing 32, the fingers 54 all undergoing limited flexing movement and limited sliding movement on the transverse wall 38. This sliding movement can be seen by comparison of the positions of the fingers 54 in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. Simultaneously, the side passage 50 becomes exposed below the valve seat 34 and communicates with the chamber 36, at which time discharge therefrom occurs. Upon release of the depressing force, the spring fingers 54 return the valve part 30 to the closed-off position of FIG. 1 whereing the valve shoulder 48 sealingly engages the valve seat 34.

It should be noted that the transverse wall 38 may have a vapor tap passage 56 if desired for achieving different discharge characteristics. In the latter case, the discharge from the hollow shank portion 28 will be constituted of liquid which has entered the chamber 36 via the dip tube 62, as well as vapor which has entered the chamber 36 through the vapor tap opening 56.

Another embodiment of the invention is illustrated in FIGS. 7 and 8, illustrating a pressurized container having an inverted cup portion 24. A valve assemblage generally designated 64 comprises a valve part 66 having a hollow shank portion 68, a valve housing 70 and a valve seat 34. The housing has an annular shoulder 72 by which it can be crimped into the cup portion 24 of the mounting cup 22 of the container 20, as shown at 74. The valve seat 34 is held captive against the top wall of the cup 24 as in the previous embodiment. The valve part 66 has an annular valve shoulder 76 which normally seals the aperture of the valve seat 34, and a side opening 78 communicating with the hollow shank portion 68 of the valve stem 66. A tranverse wall 80 defines one end of the valve housing chamber 82, the other end being defined by the valve seat 34. The valve housing has a hollow boss 84 depending from the transverse wall 80 for supporting a dip tube 86.

In accordance with the present invention, the valve part 66 comprises a plurality of sloped, yieldable, integral fingers 88 engageable with and slidable on the transverse wall 80 of the housing when the valve part is shifted axially with respect to the housing. The transverse wall 80 has a substantially planar surface so as to enable smooth sliding movement of the fingers 88 thereon. There is also provided a depending guide pin 90 carried by the valve part and extending partially into said hollow boss 84. The boss 84 has a plurality of ribs 92 molded therein, which with the guide pin 90 provide clearance passages 94 for liquid entering the valve housing chamber through the boss and dip tube as illustrated in FIG. 8. A close sliding fit exists between the guide pin 90 and the ribs 92. This construction provides a guide for the valve part 66 when it is depressed and tends to limit the latter to strictly axial movement by minimizing the possibility of tilting thereof when the depress button is actuated. The operation of this embodiment is otherwise similar to that of FIGS. 1-6, with the closed or sealed position of the valve construction being shown in FIG. 7.

It will now be understood from the foregoing that we have provided a novel and improved, axial-movement type aerosol valve which is constituted of the fewest possible components, said components being of simple construction and being readily produced at a low cost in simple molds. The fingers 88 can be readily pulled from simple cavities in the molds, due to their complementary slopes. The components may be assembled without difficulty, utilizing automatic feeds and the like in assembling machines. It will be especially noted that no valve return spring is required in order to restore the valve part to the closed vertical postion.

While the improved axial-movement type valve of the present invention is shown as being employed with metal containers of the pressurized type, it will be understood that the same valve construction could readily be employed with bottle-type containers, wherein the valve assemblage would be carried by a suitable ferrule which is crimped onto the neck or mouth of the bottle.

Variations and modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the invention.

1 claim:

1. A valve construction for an aerosol dispenser,

comprising in combination:

a. a valve housing having a chamber for receiving liquid from a container, said chamber having an annular inner wall surface, and having an unyielding transverse wall including a solid portion defining one side of said chamber,

b. a resilient, apertured valve seat constituting an opposite side of said chamber,

c. a valve part having a hollow shank portion extending through the aperture of the valve seat,

(I. said valve part having an annular valve shoulder disposed in the liquid-receiving chamber of the housing and engageable with the resilient valve seat to close the aperture thereof,

e. said valve part being elongate, having a longitudinal axis and having a side passage disposed adjacent the valve shoulder and communicating with the hollow of the shank portion, said part further having a plurality of sloped, yieldable, integral fingers, each of which lies substantially along a helical path, said fingers having rounded end portions which are engageable with and slidable on the transverse wall of the valve housing when the valve part is shifted axially with respect to the housing, said fingers being elongate and lying substantially along a constant radius with respect to the axis of the valve part, and being closely confined by the annular wall surface of the chamber, to be guided thereby,

f. the shifting of the valve part in one direction flexing said elongate fingers and unseating the shoulder of the part from the valve seat whereby liquid from the chamber can flow into the hollow shank portion through the said side passage, v

g. said fingers of the valve part normally supporting the part on the transverse wall of the valve housing with the valve shoulder engaged with said resilient valve seat.

2. The invention as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

a. said valve part has an annular peripheral portion,

and

b. said fingers comprising two pairs, the fingers of each pair being diametrically opposed and carried by said peripheral portion, each of said fingers occupying a quadrant of said peripheral portion.

3. The invention as set forth in claim 1, wherein:

a. the valve housing has a hollow boss depending from the center of said transverse wall, for supporting a dip tube,

b. said transverse wall having an inlet opening establishing communication between the hollow boss and the chamber of the valve housing,

0. said valve part having a depending guide pin extending into said inlet opening and constituting a sliding fit therewith, thus tending to limit tilting movement of the valve part with respect to the valve housing.

4. The invention as set forth in claim 3, wherein:

a. said hollow boss is elongate and has a plurality of longitudinally extending ribs engageable with the depending guide pin of the valve part, and defining therewith a plurality of clearance passages for liquid entering the valve housing chamber through the hollow boss and dip tube.

UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION PATENTNO. 1862,7 41

,DATED JANUARY 28, 1975 INVENTOR(S) WOLF STEIMAN ET AL It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown betow:

Column 2, line 29, reads ,"expecially", should read --especially Column 3, line 23, reads 0.010 0.015", should read 0.010" 0.015"

Signed and Scaled this seventh Day of 0ct0ber1975 [SEAL] Arrest:

RUTH C. MASON C. MARSHALL DANN Arresting Officer Commissioner oj'Patems and Trademarks 

1. A valve construction for an aerosol dispenser, comprising in combination: a. a valve housing having a chamber for receiving liquid from a container, said chamber having an annular inner wall surface, and having an unyielding transverse wall including a solid portion defining one side of said chamber, b. a resilient, apertured valve seat constituting an opposite side of said chamber, c. a valve part having a hollow shank portion extending through the aperture of the valve seat, d. said valve part having an annular valve shoulder disposed in the liquid-receiving chamber of the housing and engageable with the resilient valve seat to close the aperture thereof, e. said valve part being elongate, having a longitudinal axis and having a side passage disposed adjacent the valve shoulder and communicating with the hollow of the shank portion, said part further having a plurality of sloped, yieldable, integral fingers, each of which lies substantially along a helical path, said fingers having rounded end portions which are engageable with and slidable on the transverse wall of the valve housing when the valve part is shifted axially with respect to the housing, said fingers being elongate and lying substantially along a constant radius with respect to the axis of the valve part, and being closely confined by the aNnular wall surface of the chamber, to be guided thereby, f. the shifting of the valve part in one direction flexing said elongate fingers and unseating the shoulder of the part from the valve seat whereby liquid from the chamber can flow into the hollow shank portion through the said side passage, g. said fingers of the valve part normally supporting the part on the transverse wall of the valve housing with the valve shoulder engaged with said resilient valve seat.
 2. The invention as set forth in claim 1, wherein: a. said valve part has an annular peripheral portion, and b. said fingers comprising two pairs, the fingers of each pair being diametrically opposed and carried by said peripheral portion, each of said fingers occupying a quadrant of said peripheral portion.
 3. The invention as set forth in claim 1, wherein: a. the valve housing has a hollow boss depending from the center of said transverse wall, for supporting a dip tube, b. said transverse wall having an inlet opening establishing communication between the hollow boss and the chamber of the valve housing, c. said valve part having a depending guide pin extending into said inlet opening and constituting a sliding fit therewith, thus tending to limit tilting movement of the valve part with respect to the valve housing.
 4. The invention as set forth in claim 3, wherein: a. said hollow boss is elongate and has a plurality of longitudinally extending ribs engageable with the depending guide pin of the valve part, and defining therewith a plurality of clearance passages for liquid entering the valve housing chamber through the hollow boss and dip tube. 